Can I use this on my 14 year old son for acne?

by Kerry

I read on your page about progesterone helping with acne. My 14 year old son is getting acne pretty bad could my progesterone work for him? If it will can you tell me how much he would need? Thank you so much!!!

Comments for Can I use this on my 14 year old son for acne?

Hi Kerry It can help, and it's safe for men too. To reassure your son, maybe he could look at our page on Traumatic Brain Injury. In the studies carried out, over 70% of the victims were men. I usually recommend 10-100mg/day for men, although we have one using 400mg/day. I suggest you start him on 30mg/day, and see if that helps. I wrote the acne page some time ago, and have more to add to it, but I need time to do it! I've found more info which is important. It's essential to keep free testosterone levels down. Acne is caused by excess free testosterone, which in turn rises if SHBG falls. If bound to SHBG testosterone becomes inactive, progesterone raises levels of SHBG, see here, so preventing the rise of free testosterone. SHBG drops if sugars are eaten, even those found in all grains, legumes, and sweet, starchy fruits and vegetables. Fructose, sucrose and glucose (all carbs are converted into glucose), reduce SHBG by 80, 50 and 40% respectively, see here. It's best to avoid all the foods and sugars mentioned. Please see the page we have on Nutrition. There's a link to Dr Cordain's site the Paleo Diet. He's studied hunter/gatherer people and found they have no acne, principally because their blood glucose is stable. Another thing, please could he have a vitamin D test, it's so important for a healthy skin. For more info on vitamin D levels, testing etc see the Vitamin D Council,GrassrootsHealth,Birmingham Hospital and Vitamin D Links websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml or 175-250nmol/L and not the 30ng/ml or 75nmol/L most labs and doctors regard as adequate. The minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although the latest research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. As mentioned on the web page zinc is very important too. Take care Wray

Mar 05, 2012

Thank You, Wrayby: Kerry

I started him on Zinc last week and I will start him on the progesterone and vitamin D today. We will also work on his food habits. Thank you for all of the information it is greatly appreciated!! I will let you know how it goes.

Mar 06, 2012

Thank You, Wrayby: Wray

Hi Kerry I'm so pleased he's already on the zinc. I do say about 100mg/day to start with, often this is all that's needed. If it does clear up, he can reduce down to 15mg/day, and continue with that. Teenage boys need a great deal while growing, there's more zinc in the sperm than anywhere else. Please have a vitamin D test done too, it's so important, as it gives an idea of how much is needed, the minimum being 5000iu's per day. Like progesterone stress drops levels, and he's going through a stressful time, what with puberty and schooling too. Not to mention possible junk food when away from home! And do please let me know how he gets on. Take care Wray

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